Ditching-machine.



11140013. NIXON, 0F s TooKPoRT, iowa.

, lan-cH|Nca-MAcI-luw.

To a/ZZ whom it mag/concern.-

Be it lmown that I, JACOB NlxoN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, anda resident of Stockort, in the county of Van Buren and State of owa, have invented anew4 and useful Improvement in Ditchin -Machines of which the following is a specl cation. E: The object of my invention isto provide moval thereoffrom facilitated.

certain lmprovements inthe construction of certain parts of a ditching-machine whereby the cutting laway of the earth and the rethe breast of the ditchis A practical embodiment of the invention. is reilesented in the accompanying drawings, mw 'chf Figure 1 represents so much of a ditching- I --machine as will give' a clear understanding of my invention, the parts being shown partially in side ,elevation and partially in section. Fig, l2 -isa horizontalsectiontaken in the plane of the lineA A o f Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. y Fig. 3 v is an 'enlarged view, in side elevation, of the'screw conveyer, the cutting-shoe, the casing, and a po'rtlon 0f the screw conveyer being shown'inx section; and Fig. 4 is ahorizont'al section taken in the plane ofthe line -B B of Fig; 3 looking in the direction of the arrows. l

The sill of a suitable framework is denoted by 1, the lower portion of the 'framework'being denoted by 2 and thefupper portion thereof by 3., The shaft of the screwconveyer is denoted by 4, its upper portion having a sliding interlocked engagement with its driving gear-wheel 6.-,as, for instance,.,by,making.

the upper portion 'of the shaft 4 of. angular ,form 1n cross-section. A plurality rof con-l Voyer-sections 5 of the desired pitch, to producea rapid lifting of. the earth from the ditch are secured t sthe yshaftfi. In thepresentinstance these conveyor-sections are cast in 'lengths of half the circumference of the" shaft. The gear-wheel 6 is l'rnounted in suitable bearings in the` upper portion 3 f fthe framework and is driven from any suitable stance, t ough a vertical shaft 7, having a lpinion 8 meshing with' the wheel 6ft-*and a evel-gear 9, meshingwitli a bevel-gear l10jof said driving mechanism. e

F The upper end ofthe screw-conveyer shaft 4is provided with a suitable device 1-1 for the attachment of theusualmeans ,for supporting ascrew conveyer.

specificati@ f Letters Patent,

.u .ipp1i0atiaif11ea,.rnn'eso, 1005. serial 110.2615711.

The bottoni of the screw conveyercarries Patented March 13, 1906.

a shoe12, which shoe has a front cutting edge 13for enterin the breast of the ditch at the bottom thereo An antifriction-bearing 14 is interposed between the conveyer and shoe 'for reducing friction atthat point., As a convienient means for supporting the shoe '12 from the conveyer I extend the shaft 4 downwardly through the shoe and provide its lower i end a screw-threaded portion 15, which is engaged by theup er part 16 of the antifriction-bearmg anda so by a lock-nut 17 engaging the shoulder 18 of a recess 19 in the y bottom of the shoe. L

The screw conveyer has secured thereto a vspiral cutting-blade 20, composed of a plurality of sections which preferably' break joints l with the conveyersections 5. VScrews 21 may be used for securing the blade-sections to the conveyer-sections. This spiral cut? ting-blade vis arranged to engage the breast of the ditch for removing the earth therefrom onto the conveyer-,sections 5. A casing is provided for the conveyer, which casing comprises an upper cylindrical portion 22 5 a lower semicylindrical portion 23, and a verticallyadjustableJ front shield 24. The lower semit front half ex osed for engaging the breast of the ditch. his lower-half section is of 'suf- 4iicient width to permit thev conveyer to be` lowered to. excavate `ditches of varying depths. The adjustabe front shield 24 of the casing. is so/.arranged that it will cover the ,front of, the lower semicylindrical ortion lof the casingwhich extends above t e surface cylindrical portion, 23 oftthe casing inclosesy e back half of the conveyer, leaving its of the ground. The means which I have shown for keeping the b ottom of this shield on `a level with the ground comprises a spring guide-bar 25, pivoted at 26 to the lower'portion 22 of the framework and engaged with 'I the shield 24'. This spring guide-bar 25 rests at all times on the surface of the ground, and thus keeps the bottom' of the shield at alll times in proximity thereto. A web 27 extends rearwardlyT from the screw-.conveyer ycasing the vback of which web' erga es 'a vertical guide 28, extending between't e u e'and lowerportions o f the framework. v his casing is secured-at its bot- .toin to the Ishoe 12. 4 It will thereforebe seen vthat theconveyer, the shoe,y and the casin are all s'upported from the shaft 4 by the loc By the use of the improvements herein..

`abovee; set forth arnenabled to produce a ditching-machine in which any depth of ditch may be excavated and at thev same time produce a closed cylindrical casing for that part of the conveyer which is above ground, thus insuring the removal of all of the earth fromv the ditch upwardly throu h the casing and from thence to any point esired. Furthermore, by providing the antifriction-bearing between the conveyer and the cutting-shoe am enabled to materially reduce friction at this point, and thus procure a .much more easily operated conveyer. Furthermore, by providing the sliding interlocked connection etween the shaft and its driving-wheel I am enabled'v to use the conveyer in connection with ditches of yarying depths without rearranging the driving mechanism. Again, by

providing a spiral cutting-blade for the screw conveyerJ am enabled to provide a conveyer with cuttn'ig-blades ofl various styles to suit different requirements and am enabled at any time to remove the cutting-.blade and replace the same without being compelled to replace the entire conveyer, as has heretofore been necessary.

It'i 'to be understood that the framework is moved forwardly-in the usual manner to advance the conveyer to its work.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a ditching-machine, a suitable frame- Work, a vertically-arranged screw conveyer, means for o erating it and a spiral cuttingl blade carrie by the conveyer.

' movably secured to the conveyer.

5. In a ditching-machine, a suitable frameworkf a vertically-arranged screw conveyer, means forrotating it, a shoe carried by the conveyer and an antifriction-bearing between the conveyer andshoe.

i '6. 'n In a ditching-machine a suitable framework, a vertically-arranged screw conveyer,

means for rotating it and a conveyer-casing comprising an u per cylindrical portion and a lower semlcylin ical back portion.

7. In a ditching-machine, a suitable framework, a verticallyarranged screw conveyer, means for rotating it and a conveyer-casing comprising an upper cylindrical portion, a lower semicylindrical back ortion and a vertically-adjustable -front shleld for that ortion of the semicylindrical back portionw 'ch is above the surface of the ground. l

' 8. In a ditching-machine, a suitable framework, a vertically-arranged screw conveyer, means for rotating it, a conveyer-casing comprising an upper cylindrical portion, a lower s'emicylindrical back portion, a vertically-adjustable front shield and means engagin the ound for maintaining the bottom o the ont shield at all times in proximity to the ground.

9. In a ditching-machine, a suitable framework, a vertically-arranged screw conveyer, means for rotating it, a conveyer-casing comprising an upper cylindrical portion, a lower semicylindrical back portion, a vertically-ad- 'ustable front shield and a spring-arm carried ythe framework and connected to the shield for maintaining the bottom of the shield in proximity to the ound.

V10. In a dito gmachine, a suitable framework, a vertically-arranged screw con veyer, means for rotating it, a shoe provided with a front cutting edge and a casing for the conveyer, the said shoe and casing being carried` by the' conve er.

11. In a ditcliin machine, a suitable framework, a vertica ly-arranged screw con# veyer, means for operating it, a shoe, an antifriction-'bearing between `the conveyer and shoe and a conveyer-casing, the said shoe and casing being carried by the conveyer.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in resence of two witnesses, this 27th day of une, 1905.

JACOB NIXON.

Witnesses:

W. H. BREWER, E. A. PARNITZKE. 

